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Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond.
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UN targets on Afghan resettlements ‘doable’ says EU, but without commitments
EU member states failed Thursday to commit to a United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) demand for governments to resettle 42,500 Afghans who need protection over the next 5 years. Speaking after a EU-hosted online forum, European Commissioner for Migration Ylva Johansson said the target is “doable” but that it requires EU member states to make pledges. “Countries will also take…
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Africalink on Air – 07 October 2021
South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu turns 90 +++ UN endorses world’s 1st malaria vaccine as ‘historic moment.’ What impact for Africa +++ Tanzania’s writer Abdulrazak Gurnah wins Nobel Prize for Literature +++ Nigeria’s president presents over 16 trillion Naira 2022 budget to the national assembly +++ Coups in Africa – what gains for young people? SOURCE: DW News
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Inside Europe 07.10.2021
Hidden cash and dodgy dealings: a Pandora’s box of offshore tax theft – Protectors or predators? Two institutions gone awry: the French Catholic Church and the British police – A spot of predictive virology looking ahead to another COVID winter- Turkey clamps down on social media – A Danish artist takes the money and runs – Two tales of two…
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Are Rwanda’s dads ready for paternity leave?
Compared to elsewhere in Africa, Rwanda has relatively generous maternity benefits. Women who are formally employed are entitled to full pay for 12 weeks after giving birth and if they have delivery complications, they can take an additional month off. Now a coalition of civil society organizations is pushing to extend paid parental leave to Rwanda’s men, who currently only…
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Chulabhorn Royal Academy rolls out booster vaccines
Booster shot registration has begun for Chulabhorn Royal Academy as they prepare to launch their drive to give third vaccines on October 20. The first round will be for those who received 2 injections of Sinovac and the second round will be for AstraZeneca vaccine recipients. Moderna and Sinopharm booster shots will commence 9 days later for special organisations and…
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Why are tensions increasing between China and Taiwan?
China’s military flew tens of fighter aircraft as many as 149 times toward Taiwan in recent days, in what is the most recent attempt at putting pressure on the self-governing island by displaying Beijing’s military might. Even though all flights were in international airspace, they prompted Taiwanese defense forces to scramble jets in response and raised fears that any miscalculation…
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Police raid Korat restaurant after curfew with live music, booze
In the northern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, 39 people were arrested as police raided a restaurant breaking several Covid-19 rules and restrictions. The raid took place last night in Muang district at around 10:30 pm. Health and administrative officials accompanied the police to the Lamer Restaurant & Karaoke on Sirinakhon Road where they found 28 customers inside and 11 staff…
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Frequently asked questions about teaching in Thailand
Many travellers who wish to teach in Thailand definitely have questions about the whole process. From visas to degrees, to being a native English speaker, we have the most pertinent information for you below on working as an educator in Thailand. The most frequently asked questions are listed, along with answers to help guide you in your job search. 1.…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat police: don’t throw eggs at PM Prayut
Perhaps in an effort to do some damage control for today’s visit from PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to inspect flood preparedness in the Southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, the provincial police released an official warning notice instructing people to be on good behaviour for the prime minister’s visit. After several stops of his flood surveying tour has been met by…
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12 children and a journalist held in riot police officer shooting
A group of 13 people were held for questioning at Din Daeng flats in Bangkok in the early hours of this morning after an incident late last night saw a riot policeman shot. The group rounded up by police consisted of one staff member of an independent media organisation and 12 teenagers and younger children. Tensions have been rising in…
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6 warrants out for death of 1 million swiftlets, theft of bird’s nest
Six arrests have been made in connection with the shocking story last month of caves raided in Phatthalung where 1 million swiftlets were killed and their valuable birds’ nest plundered. Swiftlets, unlike other birds, make their nests entirely out of their own saliva which has been prized, especially in Asian culture, as a healing delicacy. Authorities estimated a 5 billion…
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A guide to finding the best real estate agent for your property
Finding a real estate agent to help you sell your property is an important decision. And, it is apparent after a quick search on the internet, that there are many who offer world-class services. But, how do you know which agent follows through on their services offered? Or which agent makes the process the least stressful? Such things as a…
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Weekly Phuket Covid-19 Update: Deaths and infections slowing
Over the past week in Phuket, Covid-19 daily infections have been slowly decreasing with 165 new infections today and no new deaths. But Sandbox infections have been creeping up with 20 new infections found in international travellers over the past week. Daily infections peaked September 21 with 254 new cases that day, and by the end of September, finally fell…
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Quarantine hotel near Suvarnabhumi airport evacuated after fire
A fire erupted at an alternative quarantine hotel in Samut Prakan, just southeast of Bangkok. Yesterday night, around 80 people evacuated the building when they noticed black smoke. The hotel provides accommodation for the mandatory 14-day quarantine for those entering Thailand from overseas. No injures were reported. The fire took place at the Siam Mandarina Hotel Suvarnabhumi on King Kaew…
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Lawyer-activist plans International Criminal Court filing over 1976 massacre
Yesterday, on the 45th anniversary of the 1976 massacre at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, a lawyer-activist now says he plans to bring the perpetrators to the International Criminal Court. The Thammasat University graduate and Ratsadon group lawyer, Kritsadang Nutcharas, made a speech, calling for justice over the bloody crackdown on anti-government protests where police and military forces blocked the exits to…
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PWO 112.5b baht gloves investigation finds disciplinary violations
The gloves are off as Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit received a disciplinary panel report encouraging that three top officials in the government-run Public Warehouse Organisation be fired over a 112.5 billion baht purchase deal for 500 million boxes of rubber gloves by the PWO officials. The former acting director of the PWO and two other senior officials were found…
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How to make the most out of a smaller living space
As condominium and apartment living are on the rise, their cozy atmospheres can also bring a bit of difficulty organising. But, before you decide to renovate or find another place that could be more expensive, take a look at our quick, DIY guide to maximise your living space. 1. Separate Your Living Space Instead of relying on walls that are…
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Thai woman nabbed for alleged 47 million baht face mask fraud
A Thai woman has been arrested, accused of running a face mask scam that defrauded an American company out of 47 million baht. The woman stands accused of fraud under false pretences and using false documents. The United States-based company ABA USB Corp filed the complaint against the woman, alleging they had entered into an agreement to purchase 1.3 million…
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Domestic tourism hoped to generate 882 billion baht in 2022
Perhaps not putting all of its eggs in the foreign tourism basket, the Thai government has now set a target for domestic tourism revenue next year to reach close to 1 trillion baht. While international travel is slowly finally opening back up in Thailand, it is more of a trickle than a flood, and government officials are looking towards domestic…
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Family of Thai murder victim alleges affair with Swiss man’s wife
The family of the Thai man who was beaten to death in Udon Thani, allegedly by a Swiss man, has spoken up, saying they believe the killing was over a romantic affair. In previous reports, the Swiss national allegedly told police that he acted in self-defence after the Thai man had entered his home wielding a gun and demanded money. …
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Covid-19 drug likely to arrive December as procurement agreement in final stages
The world’s first oral treatment for Covid-19 could be available in Thailand from December, as a draft agreement nears completion. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Department of Medical Services chief says the draft procurement deal is awaiting legal approval from the government. Somsak Akksilp says his department is in talks with the Thai subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Merck,…
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Vietnam to re-open popular tourist spots to vaccinated arrivals from December
From December, Vietnam will open a number of tourist hotspots to vaccinated travellers from “low-risk” countries. According to a Reuters report, the Vietnamese government hopes to follow this with a full re-opening, currently planned for June 2022. The authorities recently confirmed they would re-open the popular island of Phu Quoc to vaccinated tourists from November. The country has been living…
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Airport bosses says Don Mueang is prepared for flooding threat
The director of Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport says the facility can cope with the threat of flooding and mechanisms are in place to drain floodwater. According to a Bangkok Post report, Thanee Chuangchoo says the airport has the means to drain excess water from runways, taxi-ways, and the aircraft apron within 3 hours. Thanee says the airport’s drainage system consists…
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Phuket sandbox has welcomed 42,000 international arrivals since July 1
Since the launch of the Phuket sandbox scheme on July 1, the southern island has welcomed over 42,000 foreign visitors to its shores. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has got the calculator out again and according to TAT Phuket director, Nanthasiri Ronnasiri, over 2 billion baht has been generated for the economy. “We set the target at 100,000 visitors because…
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Thammasat University Massacre – 45 year on | VIDEO
Yesterday marked the 45th anniversary of the infamous October 6 massacre at Thammasat University in Bangkok in 1976, when 4,000 police and military forces blocked all exits from the university before firing machine guns, assault rifles, grenade launchers, and other military-grade weapons on the students after increased anti-government protests. Officially, some 45 people were killed and over 145 injured, but…
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Phuket Vegetarian Festival kicks off, poles raised to call spirits down from the heavens
The famous Phuket Vegetarian Festival kicked off yesterday, with its traditional ceremony to welcome spirits to descend from the heavens, but under Covid-19 restrictions. Go Teng poles were raised at participating shrines as a call for the Jade Emperor and Nine Emperor Gods to come down to earth. During the festival, some will practice self-mutilation, such as tongue slicing or…
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EU summit: No firm timeline for Western Balkans accession
EU and Western Balkan leaders have wrapped up a one-day summit in Brdo Castle in Slovenia with promises for greater integration but didn’t commit to a solid timeline for the six countries to join the 27-member bloc. “The Western Balkans are part of the same Europe as the European Union. The EU is not complete without them,” EU Commission President…
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Africalink 06.10.21 – 16 UTC – MP3-Stereo
Ethiopia’s PM Abiy names new cabinet +++ UN warns of ‘human catastrophe’ in Tigray +++ Amnesty report accuses Namibia of neglecting Indigenous San people SOURCE: DW News
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COVID: How is India vetting its vaccines for children?
A COVID-19 vaccine developed in India will soon be available to adults and children over 12 years old. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) recently approved Zydus Cadila’s needleless, three-dose vaccine for emergency use. The shot, known as ZyCoV-D, will be the first vaccine to be administered to adolescents in India. It is also the world’s first vaccine built…
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Pfizer Vaccine protection after 6 months: Covid 47%, Hospitalisation 90%
New data this week shows that the Pfizer vaccine which has proven to be 88% effective against Covid-19 dropped to just 47% efficacy six months after the second dose. The report published Monday in the Lancet public medical journal had originally been released in August before being peer-reviewed, and lays clear the need for booster shots as efficacy drops. Data…
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